The expansion of the Integrated Crisis Response Team program in Kamloops, formerly known as Car 40, should be happening soon.

That is according to Kamloops RCMP Superintendent, Jeff Pelley, who wasn’t able to say when the expansion will happen, though its expected to be in the early part of this year.

“It is still in its early stages with respect to staffing it from both sides from the Interior Health providing a nurse for the Integrated Crisis Response Team and we are working on acquiring on second officer,” Pelley said, on the NL Morning News.

“We are both in those processes right now. I would anticipate in the near future that’s going to be successful.”

Pelley did say that when the expansion happens, the Integrated Crisis Response Team program will run 12 hours a day – seven days a week, up from the previous 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on four days a week, Tuesday to Friday.

“We are advertising right now an officer internally to expand on that unit and then we have a number of staffing concerns that we are working through as well,” Pelley said.

“We don’t want to compromise that service delivery and we have a strategy to mitigate that in addition to our crime reduction unit that is out there very proactively as well since its implementation in September.”

He says the program – which pairs a mental health nurse with an RCMP officer during a mental health call – is a very helpful one to law enforcement.

“If it is not a call that requires police intervention then that is where Interior Health becomes more engaged on that front and there could be a referral process, there could be engaging other wraparound services, depending on the needs of the individual,” Pelley said.

“There are benefits to having this collaborative approach because it may reduce calls for service involving the police so that it is not repeat and then also tacking the root issues.”